Over the years, hypnosis has helped thousands of people. In fact, at the beginning of the 19th century it was even used in a similar way to anaesthesia for surgical operations, and nowadays hypnoanalgesia is still used, mainly to relieve the pain caused by chronic diseases.

Clinical hypnosis is also effective in managing addictions, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and phobias. However, the fields of application of hypnosis are immense, not restricted to the clinical area. In fact, famous people have also resorted to it .

Hollywood and Hypnosis

In Hollywood, for example, it is quite a common practice; actors not only use hypnosis to deal with psychological problems but also to improve their acting skills.
Hypnosis helps them to detach themselves from the characters they play by assuming an emotional distance that is essential when the story is too turbulent and negative. When actors play a character, they enter a kind of hypnotic trance, through which they shed part of their personality to get into another skin. In those cases, hypnosis not only helps them to play the role better but also allows them to keep their psychological integrity safe.

Others resort to hypnosis to deal with the pressure of conflicts between what you really are and what others expect you to be. Hypnosis also helps them to manage the anxiety and stress often generated by such a competitive world, while allowing them to stay focused.

10 famous people who have used hypnosis

Actors are not the only ones who resort to hypnosis. Athletes, politicians and even great scientists also take advantage of it . In fact, both Henry Ford and Thomas Edison are said to have undergone hypnosis sessions. This technique is used not only to modify some behaviours and to alleviate stress but also to maximise performance and to eliminate the unconscious obstacles that weigh down our potential.

Behind successful people there are often fascinating or at least surprising stories. The path of celebrities has not always been a bed of roses, so it is understandable that at certain times they need extra help to overcome certain obstacles or to let all their talent flow. Therefore, it is not strange that many have used hypnosis. Let’s see some examples.

1. Matt Damon

The winner of an Oscar for the script of the film “The Untamed Will Hunting” has resorted to hypnosis to stop smoking . And he doesn’t hide it, in a television program he publicly acknowledged that “using hypnosis was the best decision of my life”.

2. Jackie Kennedy Onassis

His life was marked by tragedy. In fact, her marriage to John F. Kennedy was not just a fairy tale but was plagued by ups and downs, and the tragic death of John F. Kennedy was also a tragedy. Hypnosis helped the former first lady of the United States to handle the most traumatic events of her past .

3. Tony Curtis

This prolific actor, inextricably linked to the film “Con faldas y a lo loco”, needed to resort to hypnosis to overcome his fear of flying. Later he used this technique to improve his acting skills.

4. Sylvester Stallone

The actor felt that his career was at a standstill and, on the recommendation of some friends, he visited a hypnotherapist . From these sessions came the idea of “Rocky”, a script he wrote in only six months using self-hypnosis as a tool to boost creativity and increase self-confidence.

5. Bruce Willis

As a child, the protagonist of “Die Hard” was teased and bullied by his classmates because he had a stutter. Later, when he became interested in acting, he underwent psychotherapy and hypnosis helped him to overcome this language disorder.

6. Albert Einstein

It is known that the physicist underwent hypnosis practically every afternoon, with the aim of developing his ideas and stimulating creativity . In fact, it is also stated that the Theory of Relativity emerged precisely in a hypnotic trance.

7. Charlize Theron

The South African actress and model used hypnosis to quit smoking. She confessed that from that moment on she leads a much healthier life and has embarked on a path of personal rediscovery.

8. Winston Churchill

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was under enormous pressure during the Second World War. At that time he used post-hypnotic suggestions to stay awake during the long nights and avoid tiredness .

9. Tiger Woods

The American golfer uses hypnosis to block distractions and enhance concentration on the golf course. He has recognized that he uses this technique frequently to “stay in the zone” and improve his performance, along with NLP and visualization.

10. Lily Allen

The English singer has made use of hypnosis to lose weight. In fact, she’s lost three dress sizes. In this case, hypnosis was used to get her to practice healthier living habits.

Hypnosis treatments in Spain: why is it so important to go to a professional?

Hypnosis is a very effective technique for treating different problems, achieving positive changes in lifestyle and regaining inner balance. By providing access to the unconscious, it allows problems to be worked on from a deeper level and changes to appear quickly, with less effort on the part of the person. In fact, hypnosis is a particularly useful tool for shortening the duration of treatment and promoting therapeutic adherence . This also means that it should not be used in isolation but integrated into a therapeutic process that includes other techniques.

Unfortunately, the circus halo that has surrounded hypnosis over the years has caused many people to use this technique without having the necessary preparation. The statistics about the professional intrusion in this area are really frightening, since it is estimated that around 70% of the people who practice hypnosis are not really accredited to practice it.

However, it is essential that people understand that knowledge of hypnosis does not enable anyone to use it . Hypnosis is not a dangerous technique, but when it is not applied by professionals, it can have an iatrogenic effect. What cures or releases is not the hypnotic state itself, but the suggestions that are made, so it is essential that the professional has a deep knowledge of the human mind. Therefore, before submitting yourself to a hypnosis session, it is necessary to make sure that the professional is part of an official school, either of Psychology or Psychiatry.

At El Prado Psicólogos we have a team of psychologists who have extensive experience in the therapeutic use of this technique, both to treat problems such as anxiety, phobias and psychosomatic illnesses and to help people find more creative solutions or simply to improve their knowledge of themselves and lead a fuller life.